


A Land of Dreams

by hjea



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-02
Updated: 2012-03-02
Packaged: 2017-10-31 23:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hjea/pseuds/hjea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Isn’t it enough to live in a world where people fight to realize their dreams? I would fight for that world for you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Land of Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 11/12/09.

The fog had rolled in thick that evening. They had gotten off the horses nearly a mile back, and were now leading them quietly down the beach. Richard, barely an arm’s length away from her, was blurring around the edges. Zedd, scouting out their path a few feet ahead, had completely disappeared. 

Kahlan could tell that Richard was tense, wary of any attackers that might think to spring upon them under this cover. And even though the cliff face beside them would ensure they heard any dangers coming long before they saw them, the echoing sounds would only confuse them. Richard was right to be on his guard. And yet, Kahlan couldn’t help but feel… if not safe exactly, than secure enough for the moment. Maybe she simply trusted their honed reflexes to see them through any surprise. Or knew that anyone attacking in the fog would have just as much trouble seeing their prey as they would them. Whatever it was, Kahlan couldn’t help but want to put Richard at his ease. 

He was even more indistinct now, a dim figure floating beside her, but she turned to him as best she could and cleared her throat. 

“It’s, uh, too bad there’s not more of a view. The Cadrian Shores are supposed to be beautiful.” 

Richard didn’t respond right away, and Kahlan, mind racing, wondered just how foolish she had sounded. But then he let out a short laugh and stepped closer, banishing any of her doubts by the clear smile held in his voice. 

“I forgot, I never told you. But when we said goodbye to Dennee all those months ago—“ 

He suddenly paused, and Kahlan realized he was wondering if he had scratched over her too-fresh pain. It was hard to think of Dennee, but… Kahlan leant towards him and bumped her shoulder to his, encouraging him to go on. 

“That was, um, that was the first time I had seen the sea.” 

Kahlan blinked. “Really? But you never said.” 

She imagined his shrug. “It wasn’t the time. And then—everything happens so fast. I forgot until just now. But in Hartland,” Kahlan could hear him ticking off against his fingers, “woods, field, village. That’s all I’d ever seen. I always knew the world was bigger, but,” 

With a rustle of cloth, Richard spread his arms wide, and promptly hit her in the side of the head. 

“Ow.” 

“Oh, Kahlan! I’m so sorry.” Richard sounded apologetic, but there was a hint of laughter in his tone, and Kahlan rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm, only missing so much that it glanced lightly off his bicep. 

“Hey, I—wait,” Richard suddenly put his hand to her arm, pausing her steps. “Do you hear that?” 

Kahlan held her breath and listened, expecting the tell-tale jangle of armour to reach her ears. But it was something else. Faint, but unmistakable, strains of music were whispering somewhere in the distance. 

“Is that singing?” Richard’s voice had dropped, really only a low murmur in her ear, and she nodded, knowing that he could feel the movement. 

She strained to listen again. “At least ten people.” 

Something stirred in her childhood memory then, and the sudden recognition squeezed at her heart. 

“It’s a hymn of thanksgiving to the Spirits,” she told Richard, and let out a sigh. “It’s hard to imagine that people have things to be thankful for in times like these.” 

Unexpectedly, as if she had forgotten he was even there, Zedd appeared in front of them. “Choir practice!” He boomed cheerily. “Must be almost at the village. I’ll ride up ahead and see if I can’t find us a place to stay the night.” 

The fog swallowed him again as quickly as he had appeared. Kahlan could still hear the singing, seemingly directionless, surrounding them somewhere just out of reach. 

Richard’s hand fumbled for hers. “It’s beautiful.” 

Kahlan nodded again. “It is.” She swallowed. “Richard?” 

“Hmm?” 

She squeezed their clasped hands. “I don’t think… we’re not fighting for ourselves, are we?” 

He sounded confused at her sudden change of subject. “What do you mean?” 

“This world that we’re fighting for, where people can be free and happy—where they can live without fear—I don’t know if we’ll ever live that for ourselves. We’re fighting for them, but…” 

Her voice trailed off. Richard, his hand still warm in her own, stood silently. And then, 

“I don’t know.” His voice was slow and thoughtful. “I think we could be fighting for ourselves. Isn’t it enough—better—to live in a world where people fight to realize their dreams? And they believe that there are always things to be thankful for? It doesn’t feel so far off. And I want that world for myself.” His voice wrapped around her like the singing, soft and familiar. “I would fight for that world for you.” 

Kahlan reached up, and pressed her lips to his. She could hardly believe her own daring, except that the unseeing sanctity of the place made it feel like too much of a dream not to. The kiss was slow and peaceful, without any of the urgency of their previous too few embraces, but soon, even that was too much. 

She broke away, and rested her head beneath his chin. “I would—you know if I could, I would—“ 

“I know,” Richard wrapped an arm around her, and whispered into her hair, “but I don’t need anything else from you.” He tugged them forward to walk again, his arm still holding them close. “I love you, Kahlan.” 

She nodded, once more, head against his shoulder, and turned her head just enough to breathe him in. 

She could see lights up ahead now, and wondered if the fog was finally breaking up, or if they were simply getting closer to their destination.


End file.
